The objective of this study was to relate the scores obtained with the application of the scales of locus of control of health and self esteem with socio-demographic and clinical variables, risk factors and chronic complications in 65 patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's chi-square, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman's Correlations tests. Regarding the locus of control, in average, patients presented higher scores in the internal dimension, and women showed more externality-at random for health. Statistically significant relationships were found between internality with time of diagnosis and physical activity; between externality-other powerful entities with glycated hemoglobin and physical activity; and between externality-at random with practice of physical activity. Most individuals has high self-esteem, but no variable was statistically related.